STARKVILLE — During his opening remarks at Mississippi State’s Orange Bowl press conference Sunday afternoon, MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin took a few moments to stump for his football coach.
“I haven’t seen any of the national coach of the year awards, but there’s no question that Dan Mullen of Mississippi State deserves every one of them,” Stricklin said. The way he’s changed expectations, the way he’s built this program, he deserves any of those awards that come his way.”
On Monday, Stricklin was proven right, as multiple awards were announced.
Mullen, who led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 regular season and a five-week run as the nation’s No. 1 team, was named the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year by The Associated Press, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Mullen, who has MSU playing in its first Orange Bowl since 1941, is the school’s first SEC Coach of the Year since Sylvester Croom in 2007. He is MSU’s fourth winner of the award, joining Paul Davis (1963), Charlie Shira (1970), and Croom.
Mullen won the award after leading the Bulldogs to six SEC wins and a second-place finish in the SEC’s Western Division. MSU defeated three top-10 teams (then-no. 8 LSU, then-No. 6 Texas A&M, and then-No. 2 Auburn) and completed the fastest rise from unranked to No. 1 in the history of The AP. MSU spent five weeks atop both major national polls, and owned the top spot in the first three editions of the College Football Playoff Committee’s weekly rankings.
Mullen, the former offensive coordinator at Florida, directed a team that set 22 school records, including points scored, total yards, and regular-season wins. The Bulldogs led the SEC in total yards per game (504), which was more than 20 yards better than second-place Georgia.
Earlier Monday, Mullen also was named the American Football Coaches’ Association Region 2 Coach of the Year.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, and NAIA. The winners are selected by members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions. The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season.
The 2014 Regional Coach of the Year winners will be recognized at Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at the AFCA convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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